As the Latino population grows, so does their ability and desire to contribute money and time to community organizations. Magdy Hurtado represents this growing desire to contribute. She is co-Chair of Somos Familia, a non-profit group in Oakland that creates support and acceptance for Latina (o) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and their families in the Bay Area. In 2014, Somos Familia was awarded a grant for $5,000 from the Latino Giving Circles and Hurtado is now a member of the Latina Giving Circle in the East Bay.

We work with families to increase family and community acceptance and reduce LGBTQ youth suicide, homelessness, substance abuse and unsafe sex. The goal is not for every family to join their local Pride parade, but even moderate levels of family acceptance are proven to reduce health risks for LGBTQ people. We work with both families that know that they have LGBTQ family members and those who don’t because it takes our whole community to keep LGBTQ people safe.

Many parents have had to find ways to respond to the transphobic and homophobic world around them that threatened the health of their children and their families. Laurin’s recent piece, posted on her Out Proud Families blog, quotes Andrea, a mother of transgender child, "It is hard to have expectations of family members and friends who aren’t ready to accept what we are going through. If we give time after bringing information or love to the people around, it helps us and them to transform."

Mirna Medina: “Having a bisexual son has been a liberating process for me. He helped me understand that bisexual people are not confused—being bisexual is about the capacity to love, regardless of a person’s sex. I used to have some judgments about transgender people. I learned about the marginalization they experience and realized how much courage it takes to be who they are. This allowed me to develop empathy and compassion.”

I’m proud of him for being true to himself and for teaching me a thing or two about what really matters to me. My identity as a mom has also been restored. I know I raised my son well because there was never a moment when he didn’t know he was loved. It took me a while, but I learned a simple lesson: Unconditional love means looking past all the expectations that are heaped on us and loving the child you have.

Inside the room, which resembles more of a storage unit, around 15 people—more than half identifying as mothers and grandmothers—watch short clips of Somos Familia’s documentary, Tres Gotas de Agua, or Three Drops of Water. Mirna Medina, a founding member and facilitator for the discussion, is featured in the video. Medina shares her experience of accepting and understanding her son’s bisexual orientation within a culture that is intolerant towards homosexuality.

Early on, we realized that parents’ love for their children is a powerful force for touching hearts and opening minds. Speaking parent-to-parent in different settings, we tell our stories to highlight the importance of unconditional love and acceptance of all children. We also speak about our pride in our children and how precious they are to us. One unforgettable moment was when two of our moms spoke before a Spanish-speaking Catholic congregation of about 500 people during the church service.